It was a rare day of strong pitching performances, at least from the starters. Closers took it on the chin, blowing four save situations. It seems rare these days to not have at least one high scoring team, but even with 16 games on the schedule, no team was able to score double digits. It was an entertaining and drama-filled Wednesday slate.
Dylan Cease debuts
Chicago and Detroit played two yesterday with game one featuring the anticipated debut of Dylan Cease. After grabbing two quick outs in his first inning in the majors, Cease went walk, walk, hit by pitch to load the bases. After a two-run single, he walked his third of the inning to load the bases for a second time but managed to induce a fly ball to end the threat. Cease would go on to throw five innings and pick up his first MLB win on four hits and four walks with six strikeouts. Control will continue be an issue for Cease (4.21 K/9 in Triple-A), but his strikeout potential (9.61 K/9 in Triple-A) remains alluring.
In the evening game, Detroit relievers blew two saves when Jose Cisnero gave up a sacrifice fly that tied the game in the seventh and Shane Greene gave up a solo home run (Yoan Moncada) in the 10th that tied the game again. Jose Abreu was the hero in the 12th, hitting a three-run home run to walk off game two and sweep the double-header.
Sonny Gray Confounds the Brewers
Sonny Gray made the Milwaukee Brewers flail at pitches all evening, striking out 12 and yielding just four hits a one walk in eight stellar innings. Raisel Iglesias secured the save and preserved the shutout. Yasiel Puig hit a solo home run in the second inning to notch his 19th of the season and eighth in his last 17 games, adding a run scored in the seventh and a sacrifice fly in the eighth. Gray became just the second Reds pitcher to make it into the eighth inning this season (Lucas Sims was the other).
Stephen Strasburg immaculate
Stephen Strasburg threw nine strikes in the fourth inning to record the first immaculate inning of his career. It was, however, just a footnote in what was an utterly dominant performance. Strasburg threw 7 1/3 shutout innings, giving up two hits, two walks, and striking out 14. Strasburg nabbed his 10th win and dropped his ERA to 3.64. Brian Dozier hit a two-run shot in the sixth inning to open the scoring and Matt Adams would add a solo home run in the eighth.
Pirates Stun Kimbrel and the Cubs
After Craig Kimbrel allowed a walk to start the bottom of the ninth, Willson Contreras misplayed a catchable fly ball to right field (yes, you read that correctly) allowing Jung-Ho Kang an easy double. Addison Russell’s throw to home was too late to prevent Elias Diaz’s game-tying run at the plate and Corey Dickerson hit a sacrifice fly to steal a victory from the Cubs. This is Kimbrel’s first blown save of the season and follows Monday’s shaky outing in which he gave up three earned runs on two home runs in a non-save situation. Kimbrel’s ERA runs to 16.88 in his 2 2/3 innings this season.
Mike Clevinger returns to form
After a worrisome return from the IL, Mike Clevinger silenced concerns with six shutout innings in which he scattered just four hits and struck out nine. In his previous start against the lowly Orioles, Clevinger was shellacked lasting just 1.2 innings and allowing seven, bumping up his ERA to 5.89. Any chance to buy low on Clevinger may have passed with this outstanding 79-pitch start.
Domingo German picks up where he left off
Domingo German returned from the IL to fire six innings of five-hit one-run baseball, racking up six strikeouts. The win pushed German to 10 on the season and gives the Yankees a chance to breathe a little more easily after Luis Severino’s recent setback. German has been a pleasant surprise to fantasy owners so far this season, and this start will keep them smiling into the All-Star break.
Bullpen ruins Mike Leake’s gem
Mike Leake went 7 2/3 shutout innings, giving up just five hits and striking out seven Cardinals. Austin Adams came in for relief in the eighth and got his man but then surrendered two hits and a walk to load the bases in the ninth. Roenis Elias stepped in for the save and not only allowed Adams’ three runners to score but allowed two of his own to cross the plate. There isn’t much to bank on in the M’s bullpen, so don’t expect them to hold wins for the starters and don’t count on many saves.
Dodgers walk off in fifth straight
Cody Bellinger had a big night with two solo home runs (his 28th and 29th) including a walk-off in the 10th inning. Walker Buehler threw 106 pitches and completed seven innings, striking out nine but allowing nine hits and three runs. The walk-off situation arrived because both closers failed to close out the game when Kenley Jansen surrendered a go-ahead solo home run to Carson Kelly in the top of the ninth. In the bottom of the 9th, Greg Holland blew the save when Matt Beaty singled in Enrique Hernandez. This is Holland’s second blown save in as many nights.
Injuries
Tommy LaStella sat in the dugout on Wednesday with his leg immobilized after suffering a tibia fracture on Tuesday night. La Stella fouled a ball off his leg and was immediately removed from the game and later ruled out for what would have been his first All-Star Game. La Stella is expected to miss two months and should probably be considered a drop in most redraft leagues.
Jake Odorizzi is another All-Star who will miss next week’s game after being placed on the 10-day IL with a blister. Manager Rocco Baldelli believes that Odorizzi will return soon after the All-Star break.
Jesus Luzardo suffered a Grade 2 lat strain and will be shut down. His timetable is unknown at this point, but is expected to be lengthy. Susan Slusser is reporting that the typical recovery for this kind of injury is one month plus stretching-out time, which would push Luzardo’s possible debut into August at the earliest. This is terrible news for his fantasy owners as Luzardo was in the midst of rehabbing a strained rotator cuff and was expected to debut shortly after the All-Star break.
Transactions
Jose De Leon was activated by the Rays and then optioned to Triple-A. De Leon’s rehab from Tommy John surgery is complete, but the club is not ready to bring him up to the majors. De Leon will continue to pitch and may be an option for a call-up at some point later this season.
Yonder Alonso will be released from the White Sox and will become a free agent. Alonso slashed a paltry .178/.275/.301 in 67 games.
Blake Treinen was activated and returned to the mound on Wednesday. He surrendered the game-winning home run in the 12th inning to take the loss. Holding Liam Hendricks is a prudent move, for now, as he should still provide positive output and is a nice safety net if Treinen struggles in the coming days and weeks.
Max Scherzer was placed on the paternity list but will not miss his start scheduled for Saturday.
